Veteran and “passionate warbird pilot” Dan Fordice, the son of ex-Mississippi Governor Kirk Fordice, died in a single-engine plane crash near the Louisiana border, leaving behind a legacy of military service and passion for aviation.

The crash occurred at the Tallulah-Vicksburg Regional Airport in Madison Parish around 3 p.m. Tuesday, according to officials. The cause of the wreck remains under investigation.

Fordice, whose father served as the governor of Mississippi from 1992 until 2000, was an avid supporter of historic aviation.

His projects included restoring a P-51 fighter, an iconic propeller plane used in long-range combat during WWII and the Korean War, according to WLBT.

Fordice served in both the US Army and the Mississippi National Guard before founding the Warrior Bonfire Program, a nonprofit that offers free retreats for post-9/11 Purple Heart veterans.

His dedication to history earned him the American Spirit Medallion, awarded by the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. During his time in the military he served as an engineer and special forces officer, according to the Vicksburg Post.

“They’ve removed my ability to have a bad day,” Fordice said in a 2025 interview, speaking on the Warrior Bonfire Program.

“I cannot have a bad day anymore because I’ve got hundreds of pictures right in front of me. The most humbling thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

The Commemorative Air Force, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving, restoring, and flying historic World War II-era combat aircraft, published a statement celebrating his legacy, praising him as a “passionate warbird pilot.”

“The Commemorative Air Force is deeply saddened by the loss of Dan Fordice, a valued CAF member, who was currently serving on the General Staff (our Board of Directors), a passionate warbird pilot, and a lifelong advocate for American veterans and military history,” the statement reads.

“Whether sharing stories in a hangar, mentoring younger members, or flying one of his beloved warbirds, he carried himself with humility, conviction, and joy. He believed these aircraft were not simply machines, but powerful tools for education, remembrance, and honoring freedom.”

Mississippi Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann echoed this sentiment on X, saying that he is “devastated by the loss of Dan Fordice, husband, father, and business man who may be best known for creating Warrior Bonfire to help military veterans survive the effects of war and provide them hope for the future.”

“We mourn his loss with Ann Clare, his children, his brother Hunter, and so many family and friends. A painful loss of a good man.”

Outside of his historical philanthropy, Fordice served as the vice president of Fordice Construction Co. and the president of Delta Construction.